A Flower in the Clouds
by Caiquinn
Summary: Sakura chooses the life of an Akatsuki member, and finds love in a man she never would've guessed; Itachi Uchiha. Of course things can't be too easy when you're in love with a rogue ninja. itachixsakura madaraxsakura deidaraxsakura M for lemons!
1. Captured!

READ BEFORE READING (?) ...

I do not own Naruto or any of it's characters in any way, shape, or form. If you can't handle ItachiXSakura, MadaraXSakura, DeidaraXSakura, or SasoriXSakura, then get outta here. This fic will be mostly ItachiXSakura, so yeah... ENJOYY! :D

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><p>"Bye Sakura-chan! See you tomorrow!" Ten Ten and Hinata yelled as the pink-haired kunoichi left the designated ANBU training grounds. She waved goodbye, and a cloud of smoke caused her to vanish.<p>

Sakura - Now at the age of 18 and living alone - was an ANBU, serving the leaf village by defending her nation. Her hair had grown long, and her body had matured with age. She had full, pink lips to compliment her ivory skin. The pure seafoam color of her eyes were bright and vibrant as ever. Many men had asked to take her out, but she'd always found a reason to decline. It wasn't because she was still commited to Sasuke. No. That dream died a long time ago. She said it was because she was so busy with ANBU. Sakura seemed unhappy though, so this made her friends question her feelings.

The streets of Konoha were dark at night, and there was a particular eerie feeling about tonight. Sakura was studious of her surroundings as she paced her way home. The Friday nightlife had yet to begin. In a matter of minutes partygoers would flood the streets and illegal activity would begin. It took Sakura a minute to realize the fun was being held off because of HER, an enforver of the law. ANBU were widley respected, even by criminals. She wasn't accostomed to her title just yet, considering she'd only been ANBU rank for a couple of weeks.

Time that it took to walk home was used for thinking. Sakura thought back to her early teens. Team Seven was now broken, everyone gone their seperate ways. Naruto was now Hokage, to marry Hinata in a month. Kakashi decided to settle down with Kurenai and start a family. Sasuke was still alive, and killed Orochimaru when he decided to attempt to take his body as a vessel. He was currently the leader of Orochimaru's "organization." And of course there's Sakura, of whom is just going through the daily motions. It was true, she was lonely. What she wanted was love, but she'd hadn't been able to find an appealing man. She longed to be held. She tried not to think about it though.

Sakura dug in her pocket to find the house key. She found them and unlocked the door. Walking in, she flicked the light on. Her house was small, but large enough to accomodate a young woman such as herself. The livingroom held a dated yellow loveseat, pink carpet, brown table, and a small television. She shut the door behind her and locked it. In her slim hallway, she made her way to the white and green hallway. Sakura started a warm shower. She felt dirty after the training. While stripping down, she looked in the mirror. She didn't think she was as beautiful as people proclaimed. Sakura stepped into the shower, melting away the pungent odor of sweat and stress.

After bathing, she slipped on a long, white t-shirt and crawled into bed. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was being observed. The feeling left as Sakura convinced herself she was just being paranoid. She soon fell into a deep sleep that filled the cracks of the lifeless night in the Haruno household.

A her senses had warned her, Sakura was in fact being watched. Once she'd been asleep for a couple of hours, she'd been awakened by two hands grasping her exhausted body and throwing her onto their shoulders. Sakura screamed, but her cries were muffled out by a thick cloth in her mouth. She was scared, and confused. She wasn't even totally awake yet. If only she could see her captor...

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><p><strong>Author's Comments: <strong>What an overwhelming amount of support in just the first day! This story has gotten over 700 hits, but only 2 reviews! I'd really appreciate more reviews to tell me what I need to work on and what you like, maybe even something you'd like to see in the future from the characters or story line. I uploaded up to Ch. 8 in the first day because I have previously uploaded this on Deviantart. So if/when you review, please take into consideration that I do have the next 7 chapters up and there's a slim chance that I'll go through and edit them thoroughly. Find my user on there, it's still Caiquinn!


	2. Foul Mouthed Stranger

"Nnnnhhhh... N-? Mnnnnhhhh! Nnnn!" Sakura didn't know where she was. She was frightened. She saw the crimson clouds upon the black fabric, symbolyzing that whomever was carrying her over their shoulder, was a member or Akatsuki. This was recognized immediatley.

Then it all came back to her...

The eerie late-night feeling,

the sleep attempt,

the capture.

Her throat felt dry, she couldn't speak because of the thick black cloth tied around her neck, stuffing into her mouth.

"Shut up girl. I don't want to have to listen to a stupid woman's screams." A deep voice came from the unidentified character carrying her. She could see white, slicked back hair out of the corner of her jade eyes.

'This must be Hudan, the foul-mouthed, religious member.' Sakura contemplated.

"I need a break. Don't try to run away, either. It's futile." Hidan came to a hault, setting the kunoichi on the ground. Once he set her down, he removed the fabric preventing her articulation.

At first, she didn't speak. She simply studied the man. He was tall, muscular, and rude. Sakura decided that she didn't like anything about him.

"Where are you taking me?" Sakura managed to speak clearly.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" His voice was rough and low. Sakura didn't know quite what to say to this. They sat in thick, deadly silence.

"I'm taking you to an Akatsuki base." Silence=Shattered.

"But why? What'd Akatsuki want with ME? I don't have a special kekkei genkai or anything." Sakura was slightly confused. She sat there, looking helpless in her pajamas: A blue tanktop and orange shorts. Her hair was let loose down on her shoulders, it's natural wavy texture evident. The beauty she possesed was being shown through like a lighthouse during a foggy, nacturnal hour.

Hidan sat for a few seconds without replying. He tried to find the right words to say without revealing too much information. He didn't want to have to kill her. "Leader wants a medic. And you're the best around. Your name is listed several times in every bingo book out there."

This was a surprise to Sakura. She never thought she was that valuble. But with Tsunade dead now, she more than likely was one of the best around. She had brute strength and astonishingly impressive medical skills and knowledge. The only problem was that she was 100% commited to her village. It was weird to her how now it was someone that wanted HER. She'd always been used to people coming after Naruto or Sasuke or anyone BUT her. This time, the tables were turned.

To be honest, she liked the thought that she was wanted; No, NEEDED. It was thrilling. She halfway wanted to cooperate with him, but she knew that if she failed, and was taken back to Konoha, she would be executed for treason.

"You think you can just TAKE me? Don't you realize that I'm an ANBU Black Op and people are going to notice my absence? The Hokage WILL send squads after me," Sakura spoke out. She hoped that her taunting worked, but didn't get her killed. She looked him in his exotic pink eyes. A flare of anger was imminent.

Hidan growled, "Akatsuki is tenfold stronger than your puny village. And if you don't comply with our demands, you will be killed. Slowly. Tortured by the eyes of an Uchiha." He was referring to Itachi Uchiha, the man who killed his whole clan solely to test the limits of his incredible abilities. She decided to stay quiet. With eyes looking at the ground, ashamed, she nodded. It was obvious that she couldn't rebel. He would kill her in an instant. He had the power.

After a few more minutes passed, Hidan decided it was time to get a move on. He picked Sakura up again, throwing her over his shoulder. She was quite annoyed with this, but he didn't trust her, and she knew that. He had a reason not to.

It only took a couple more hours of running through thick forests until they reached a large, cabin-type building. He set her down, tightly gripping her wrist to keep her from running. They approached the cabin, and it felt like their steps were only inches. Anxiety and butterflies filled her stomach, not knowing what awaited her arrival.

Hidan's free hand reached the doorknob, and pushed the door open. It lead into a living-room type area, where five figures were stationed.


	3. Anxiety

"So that's her? The coveted Cherry Blossom of the Leaf?" A red-headed man, known as Sasori, was the first to speak. His eyes moved up and down her body. "She doesn't look like much. It's hard to believe something that hot is a ninja."

Hidan let go of Sakura's wrist. "Yeah, I know. But she is. She's the one Leader wants, taught by the Legendary Sannin herself, Tsunade."

"It's going to be different having a female around, yeah," a woman-looking figure stated. This was Deidara, of whom was a man. He sat comfortably on the couch,uch, twittling what appeared to be a wad of clay. "What do you think, Itachi?"

"Hn." Sakura recognized him immediatley; Itachi Uchiha. He was leaning against a wall, arms crossed. His long, black hair was tied back and was lain casually down his shoulder. He studied her with his deep red eyes. "I'm going to take a shower." He was gone in an instant.

Sakura cleared the lump in her throat. She was nervous, scared, and confused. Besides the three men that spoke, there were two others that seemed to be bickering. She identified them as Kisame and Kakuzu.

Hidan took Sakura's wrist again. "You'll be seeing leader now. Be respectful, otherwise you'll be killed."

Sakura gulped.

Several doors were opened before they reached their destination. Hidan knocked on the door, "I've got her!"

The door swung open. Hidan pushed Sakura to the middle of the room, directly in front of a large, wooden desk.

"I've been expecting you, Sakura Haruno," the man she'd heard behind the door spoke. He had fiery orange hair and multiple peircings.

"Uhmm..." Sakura was uncertain of what she should say. She looked around the room. It was dark, and there were large bookshelves covering the walls. They were filled with all kinds on literature. Her face reflected the worry in her heart. The only stupid thought she had was 'Is he emo?'

"You've been specially selected to join Akatsuki. If you accept, you shall recieve your own ring, cloak, and shelter. If you decline, death shall follow you," his eyes bore into hers, "Do you accept?"

Sakura remained silent, looking down, ashamed that she couldn't escape the situation. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the "leader" get up and stand behind her. She blinked, and a kunai was held to her neck. A gentle gasp escaped her full lips.

"It would be a shame to see that pretty lilttle head of yours on that cold, hard floor, wouldn't it?" Leader breathed in her ear, drawing the knife closer.

Her voice was shaking, "I... I..."

"You?"

"A-accept," Sakura felt her knees grow weak. The scent of defeat was in the air.

"Smart girl," a sly grin played on his lips as he patted her shoulder, returning to his desk. He scribbled something onto a piece of paper. Once he was finished, he shoved the paper aside and opened a drawer. He pulled out a ring. He held it out for Sakura to grab. "You wear this at all times. It symbolyzes your Akatsuki membership. It once belonged to Orochimaru."

She felt sick putting the ring on. Especially knowing that it previously belonged to that snake, Orochimaru.

"Now about room accomodations..."

Sakura felt her head jerk up. Would she be getting her own room? She wasn't sure. She saw Leader study a piece of paper.

"All the rooms seem to be filled... So..." he flipped the paper over and his face crumpled at the eyebrows, "You'll be rooming with Itachi." Her eyes grew wide. He expected her to sleep in the same room as the blood-thirsty Uchiha? Yes, he did. "Alright. I'm done with you. Hidan will escort you to your room. From there on I expect you'll find your way around."

Sakura was still awestruck. She walked out the door, eyes still wide, pupils dialated.

"So how was it, Kunoichi?" Hidan stood in the hallway, arms crossed.

No reply.

"You sure don't talk much. Well, who were you assigned to room with?"

Her lips were dry, and she had to force the words, "I-Itach...i."

Hidan looked surprised. "I guess since neither of you talk much, you'll get along."

Hidan had no way of knowing how social she truly was. She was still scared, shocked, and dumbfounded. They began walking through a long, narrow hallway. They stopped at a door painted white. Sakura found it odd that Itachi Uchiha would have a white door. Hidan opened it and let her in. He didn't dare take one foot through the ominous door.

It appeared that noone was in the room. It was dark, and very... Black. 'Of course an Uchiha would have a depressing room...' she thought. The space ws considerably large with a king-sized bed in the center, against the middle back wall. A dresser was on the right wall, with a bookshelf on the opposite. The bookshelf led to a bathroom. The door was shut, and light seeped from the crack seperating the door and the floor. 'He must be in there...'

Sakura sat on the well-made bed. Their meeting was inevitable. The best she could do was brace herself.

It seemed like it took him forever to come out of the bathroom. Sakura wasted the time by looking at the ceiling to see if she could "find" any pictures. She'd had boredom games like this since she was a little girl. One she did often was find triangles in the folds of her palms.

Time went on, and Sakura seemed to get slightly more comfortable. Then the doorknob to the bathroom twitched. Her attention diverted to the door. It opened.

There, standing before her, was Itachi Uchiha. His hair laid damp on his shoulders, long and free from its typical hairband. He wore a fishnet shirt and black pants. Sakura noticed the absence of his headband. He actually looked... Hot. His fit body was visible through the tight mesh shirt, and she noticed how rugged and sexy his face was. He looked so much like Sasuke.

His cold eyes met her warm, nieve ones in an instant. She looked away swiftly, ashamed that she was staring.

"You were assigned to stay with me," Itachi made an educated guess, but disguised it as a statement.

Sakura nodded.

"Hn," he grunted as he sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard. It didn't matter to him that she was there. She would be there for a long time.

He examined her. She most definetly was attractive. As intimidated as she was, she was still graceful. He grinned to himself, 'She'll be mine.'

Itachi was your typical badass. He got just about any girl he wanted. Being in Akatsuki didn't cut you off from society. Many women found them sexy and wanted to be with them. Men found them powerful and wanted to be them.

Sakura saw out of the corner of her eye that he was watching her. She turned to face him. The Uchiha was lying there, arms crossed, assessing her every move. After watching one another, he moved closer to her.

"Tell me, Sakura," he whispered, "what do you want?"

She could feel his breath against her face. It had a slight scent of mint. Her airstream was trembling, frightened by the two inches seperating their lips. The sound of her name within his words was... Slightly alluring. She had to admit that the sheer danger of the situation excited her. It kinda turned her on too.

"I-I..."

"Hn?"

"I... I'm kind of... Hungry," she was clearly nervous.

Itachi finally drew his face away from hers. "Get up." He was blunt. He walked to the door and opened it. His hand gestured her out in a polite and graceful manner. Sakura stood and walked out the door. He moved in front of her, walking her to the kitchen.

It was a cafeteria-esque space. There seemed to be workers on duty, prepared to get the members food at a whim. Itachi approached them. He turned to Sakura, of whom was following him. "What do you want?"

It was odd hearing him ask this a second time, but now it was more specific. She thought for a second, "Uhm... A... Bowl of ramen?" Itachi noticed how she didn't stutter.

The food was quickly delivered. The two moved to a table. Sakura ate extremely fast, and was done after a mere two minutes. He watched her intently.

By the time she was done, she was out of breath. Itachi didn't even have to ask if she was done. He took the bowl and put it in the sink. Sakura had to admit, she was slightly surprised by the halfway-gentleman conduct of the man who murdered his whole clan.


	4. Valentines Day

It had been 3 weeks at Akatsuki, and Sakura was starting to become more and more comfortable. Some of the men proved to be more animalistic than the others. She'd grown quite close to Deidara, who had become her best friend. It wasn't a romantic attraction, no; he was just better at treating a lady than the others. She could confide in him when she needed a shoulder to cry on, which was quite frequently. But she had grown to like living with the men. And today...

Today was a special day:

Valentines Day.

"Dei! Happy Valentines!" Sakura energetically ran into the kitchen, practically tackling Deidara. It was obvious she'd just woken up, her pink locks going this way and that. She was wearing a long, charcoal shirt that came mid-thigh. It was obviously Itachi's. She stole his shirts to sleep in. Her right hand, which was wrapped around Deidara's neck, held a tiny pink heart-shaped card.

Deidara chuckled, greeting the kunoichi. The men sitting at the table glared at him. Jealous. All except Itachi. Kisame and Kakuzu had yet to have woken up. Sakura was quite a prize, completely gorgeous, and in a house of nine men and one woman, there was competition. Itachi was the only one that seemed not to want to devour her. Deidara decided that he wouldn't fall for her, and so far, he hadn't. It was more his job to keep the girl safe from the animals within the house.

There were times where they looked like a true couple, like now. She was sitting in his lap, where she gave him a sweet peck on the cheek and the card in her hand. He opened it. It was shaped like a heart, homemade from construction paper. It read:

'I love you, Dei! Thank you soooo much for being my friend! Love, Pinky!'

He smiled to himself as he read it. "Thank you, Pinky!" That was his nickname for her.

Sasori was the first to ruin the cute moment, "Get a room. Seriously."

"Stop being jealous, Sasori. We're nothing more than friends," Sakura sounded like a 5th grader trying to protect their pride. There was more bickering between Deidara and Sasori. But for some reason, Sakura couldn't help but analyze Itachi, who sat in silence, looking uninterested in the situation. After a couple of minutes, he got up and walked outside. Tobi (of whom was being abnormally quiet) followed. It was odd, for Itachi didn't complain.

Sakura, of course, had been rooming with Itachi. They had to share the bed, which still held a slight awkwardness for her. She recalled one morining where she woke up holding his arm. At times he'd examine her, looking her length up and down. He was so... Mysterious. Secretly, she found it sexy. The two had had a few lengthy conversations, but not many. From him, she learned how truly corrupt her nation's government was. Tsunade had been a saint compared to them! There were only a few good ninja who fought to keep the last bit of cleanliness within the country.

Not only that, but he described to her the effect Mangakeyo Sharingan had on one's eyes. Once used a certain amount of times, the owner would go blind. There was only one way to contavene that, but he refused to tell her.

The two had appeared to form a bond that could be described as a distant friendship. But there had been a couple of romantic incedents between them. Once, he nearly kissed her, but then stopped himself. The time then just wasn't quite right.

Sakura got up adn went to her room. She shut the white door behind her, then removing the clothing she slept in. Walking over to the closet, she pulled out her spandex shorts and mesh tank top. She then slipped them on and reached for her custom-made Akatsuki cloak. It fit her form perfectly, stopping mid-thigh, revealing her long legs. Her knee-high boots came next. She pinned the cloak shut and walked out. Her destination was outside.

Outside of the Akatsuki hideout was an orchard of Cherry Blossoms. The pink flowers were in bloom. 'Pink... The color of the day,' she smiled to herself. If it was normal circumstances and she were in the Leaf, she would've been out with some guy on a flirty date. She was slightly happier here at Akatsuki, though.

In the distance she saw Itachi. Tobi had just walked inside. She paced gracefully over to the Uchiha. He was leaning against one of the Cherry Blossom trees. He looked at her. "Hn. What do you want?"

"Happy Valentines Day, Itachi," the words rolled smoothly off of her tounge, her emerald eyes interlocked with his red ones. She was waiting for a reply, but all she recieved was pure silence. She took a few steps toward him, distancing only a mere six inches between them.

He looked down at her with the slightest sense of curiosity. What was she doing?

"Itachi...?"

"Hn?"

There was a pause.

"I want you to train me."

This was odd. He was expecting something different, but he did suppose this would work towards his goal of making her his. "Under one condition."

"Hm? What?"

"Kiss me."

"Wh-what?" did he just say what she thought he said?

"You heard me," his eyes stayed fixated on hers. She didn't move. He wanted to kiss her? HER? He was so gorgeous that he could have any woman he wanted! Surely she was dreaming. But... She wasn't. Why did he want her to kiss him? Was that the condi-

An arm wrapped skillfully around her waist, drawing her hips to his. "You think too much."

His surprisingly soft lips overtook her pink, full ones. She surrendered to his provacative touch. She angled her head to deepen the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. It was so unusual, she'd only dreamt about things like this. They never actually HAPPENED. But it was, and her right hand moved up to remove his hair elastic, releasing his raven locks. And right as she ws about to run her fingers through it...

He pulled away.

"Alright. I'll train you now," a cocky grin played on those skillful, sly lips of his.


	5. Heartache with a side of Discovery

Punch, kick, dodge, hit, punch, take a breath, repeat. That's how Itachi's intense training went. It seemed like leaving her breathless was his goal. But underneath all the sweat and gasps, a slight romance was created.

He looked up and down her slender, fit body. Every once in a while, he'd torture her and thrill himself by wrappying his arm around her waist, looking into the doe-eyes that belonged to noone other than her. Leaning over, a soft whisper would escape his lips, falling gently on her ear; "You're mesmorizing." Once he recieved a catch of breath, he would release the kunoichi and continue the training, catching her off guard. When she'd give up and begin to fall, he'd catch her, pick her up bride-style, and carry her to their room. She would say nothing, for she was taken back by his touch.

In moments like these, where she would feel his strong arms supporting her small frame, she would smile. But... These moments didn't last forever. Itachi had to keep his composure. He wasn't used to having an emotional connection. It was inevitable; he was starting to like the girl. But his want for her was overrided with the stiff business-suit of no emotion. Emotion was a poison to him, deadly and not easy to cure. It had been decided that Sakura would be on the bottom of the list of priorities. If only he was that strong...

"Itachi?" Sakura was laying flat on their bed, staring in-thought at the blank slate of ceiling.

"What is it?" Itachi said more when it was just the two of them, like now. He was next to her on the bed, on his side with his head propped up by his hand.

It took aher a second to respond, "Oh... Nevermind." A blush was strewn across her ivory face. The index fingers were pushing against one another in embarrassment, as if they belonged to Hinata Hyuuga. Sakura was in fact, stupid.

The next thing she knew was that Itachi was now hovering over her, studying her with his Sharingan eyes. They stopped every few seconds to meet seafoam pools of jade. The silence was consumed with anxiety.

"No, Sakura. We're not," it was a cold statement. He knew exactly what she was going to ask. What she wanted...

He was not going to give.

Not now.

"Oh..." The voice couldn't have been more dissapointed.

Itachi gently grasped her pointed chin and made her look at him. He was serious. "Sakura, you don't want what you think you do. We're not a couple. We never will be. Bonds call for weakness, and I cannot and will not be weak. You're a beautiful young woman, I'll admit that much. Quite interesting, too. But I don't feel that strongly for you. Or anyone," wow, he was rambling. He realized this and shut up. He couldn't remember the last time he talked so much. And there he watched as the reality hit her. Right in the eyes.

The terrible, misleading, untrue

Reality.

He wanted it. Bad. But nobody could know that. He hardly knew this woman. What was she doing to him? He had in fact planned on making the blossom his, but the plan had... Undoubtedly backfired. The connection he wanted then was purely physical. The urge to hit himself was now replacing that feeling.

Sakura tried to be the best actress she could possibly be; and she wasn't too bad at it. The face of choice was slightfully cheery and understanding. It hurt, but not too incredibly bad. She hardly knew him, or at least that's what she kept telling herself. The words matched the face, a light "Okay. I understand!" Owch.

She sat up, fixing to walk outside, to escape the room that was now heavy with reality. But before her leave, she sat, waiting, giving the Uchiha a chance to say something. Anything. Just to counter what he'd previously said. But... He didn't.

Before making her leave, she put on her cloak. It was slightly chilly outside. Cold wind: She hated it. Little did she know that the cold outside was awaiting her solemn arrival.

The orchard was in full bloom, despite the wind chill. In the distance, Sakura saw a tall man. He had long, shaggy hair, all the way to the small of his back. And he was wearing an...

Akatsuki cloak?

Sakura hadn't seen this man before. She decided to approach him. The strides were light, but noticeable. The pale sun shone upon her curious face. It had the slightest pang of pain in it.

"Um... Excuse me?" Sakura was about eight feet away from the man. He turned to face her.

"Yes?" his vouce was exceptionally low, but alluring and whipped with velvet. Almost like Itachi's.

The words were stolen from her throat. Her eyes met his. He had... The black orbs of an Uchiha. With raven hair to match. The man towered over her, and was the possessor of tan skin. He looked young, but older than Sakura, and there was a dark chakra eminating from him.

His mysterious eyes checked her up and down, and once he was done checking her out, a sly grin played on his lips. An Uchiha grin. "Such a resplendent young woman." He got on one knee, took her hand, and kissed it.

A flush made its way to Sakura's cheeks. But she still couldn't help but feel danger. "Who are you?"

He stood again and replied with a question, "You first, m'lady."

She wasn't going to play games, so she went ahead and told him, "I'm Sakura Haruno. Now it's your turn."

"Oh, the treasured Cherry Blossom of the Leaf... The girl of whom the legendary Sannin, Tsunade, took under her wing as her apprentice? I've heard much about you. They say you've by far surpassed her skills," the grin returned. "I am...

Madara Uchiha."


	6. Uchiha Legend: Sleeping with the Enemy

"M-Madara...? Uchiha? But-" Sakura's head shook violently, "I thought you were dead! We ALL thought you were dead!"

A smirk made its way onto his ageless lips. "I'm here, aren't I?" This girl was quite amusing. He was going to have fun with her.

The pretty always seemed to stay on her classic face, despite the spectrum of ever-changing (and not to mention explosive) emotions and expressions that exposed themselves in her eyebrows. "How And... What are you doing at Akatsuki? How di-..."

His finger gaulted her swift interrogation with a quick flick over her lips. Madara was quite pleased. Yes, she was quite perfect. "Sit down, m'lady. I have much to inform you."

They sat side-by-side, propped by a large Cherry Blossom tree. The clouds sheeted the sun, making the sky mourn. Trees of pink flower made the outside have a slightly peaceful look. Somehow, the solemn peace made Sakura think of Itachi...

"So... Hmm... Where to start? I suppose I should start... Here;" Madara looked at the treetops of the orchard, "You know Pein? 'Leader?' Well he isn't the 'leader' of Akatsuki. I am. You know Tobi? That's me as well." He was blunt in his tellings, and he began reciting the unknown Uchiha history and scandals. He told her of how Akatsuki came to be. Then... Itachi came up.

"Itachi Uchiha; Akatsuki member, Uchiha murderer, and one of the most skilled shinobi I have ever witnessed. But I must say, he cannot compare to ME. His eyes aren't quite as sharp as mine. His heart is larger than one may be lead to believe. In fact, he left his younger brother alive for a completely different reason than you may think..." Madara paused, waiting for a reaction from Sakura.

A small thing she achieved:

A decent poker face.

"Actually, he saved... Oh, what was his name? Sasuke, was it?" He put his index finger to his lip in thought. Sakura nodded in confimation. It had been a while since she had discussed the younger Uchiha. It was practically considered taboo in the Leaf Village.

"Hm, yes. So much potential in that boy, really. It was quite evident. Too bad that Orochimaru brainwashed him. But back to Itachi;

Itachi saved Sasuke from me. Itachi wasn't alone when it comes to our clan's demise. To be honest, I planned the whole killing. The prodigy was more like... My pawn, if you will. But no one except for me and him are aware of this truth. You see, I wanted to destroy all of them, but Itachi couldn't blow out the candle that was his brother's life. But to make him... Strong... Itachi used his Tsukuyomi to decieve Sasuke to believe it was all his big brother's doing in an effort to test the limits of his own power, and that he was spared only for the sake of killing Itachi later on with hate. I can never decide if it's a sweet or twisted story. If I only would've recognized the boy's ability... I would've seized it and taken it into my own hands. What a shame," he let out a sigh and shrugged his shoulders.

Sakura wasn't expecting to hear a story quite like that. It made Itachi... Have substance. Emotion. Love. Care. It was imminent; it was there. Just buried by the callusus of a dry heart.

After about another half hour of story telling, Itachi came outside. Sakura didn't notice him until he was only feet away. Madara looked up at him with a sly, cocky grin. Itachi was glaring with his emotionless gaze. It seemed they were having their own telepathic conversation.

In fact, they were. A quick look into their voiceless words? Here:

**"Stay away from her, Madara. She's not yours to take."

"Feeling intimidated, eh, Itachi? The kunoichi truly is a prize, and how I'd love to add her to-"

"Enough."**

Now the elder Uchiha brother looked away, with the slightest hint of anger in his ruby eyes. "Come, Sakura." It probably was best for her to follow. It was quite obvious there was a rift between the men. She got up and stood by Itachi's side and tried not to think of earlier in their room. Before turning to leave, Itachi shot one last cold glare at Madara. He didn't seem phased.

'I'll go straight for his heart one last time...' Madara was out to destroy. "I'll be seeing you, Sakura. Very soon..." the grin was back, and more taunting than ever.

* * *

><p>"I don't want you around him, Sakura," Itachi only looked forward. Not once did he turn to look at her. It broke her heart. It was as if she did something bad, and she was disgusting to him. But that wasn't the case; Itachi was disgusted at Madara.<p>

Madara could see the attachment that he had grown onto the girl. A bond; one that could harm him.

'No matter how hard I tried to mask it... He recognized it... Dammit,' Itachi thought while walking to the headquarters, Sakura following.

"Why not, Itachi? I mean..." she was about to say something that was actually quite questionable, "It's not as if you control me." The two haulted.

It was the first time he looked at her that walk:

His face was serious, hard, and chilling. It was almost like something within him silently snapped. "You must not understand the circumstances, Kunoichi," he bent down and cupped her chin in his hand, "You were put under MY watch. I am your authority figure, and therefore... I control you." He was, in fact, a man of power and control.

Sakura's eyes flashed with a venemous anger, yet she didn't say anything. Her eyes protested enough.

"Think of yourself more as a prisoner of Akatsuki than a member. Are we clear?"

She reluctantly nodded. "Crystal."

* * *

><p>"I-it's alright, Sakura, yeah. I'm sure things will get better," Deidara was attempting to comfort the emotionally-tangled Sakura. She was in his arms, crying. The scene made him slightly blush. He hesitantly petted her hair, trying to calm her. They were in the safety of his room.<p>

Inbetween sobs, she managed to speak, "I just... I'm so angry! He rejects me. tells me I can't talk to certain people, then says I'm a prisoner! He seemed so different when I first met him... It was like he wanted me then... Now I don't feel the same excitement I did before..."

"Who did he want you to stop talking to?" he asked, curious. Who would Itachi not want the kunoichi to talk to? There wasn't anyone in Akatsuki, he thought, that would cause a problem.

Sakura hesitated, not knowing whether or not Deidara knew Tobi's true identity. Surely he did, considering they were partners. "M-Madara..."

Deidara's eyes widened. "So he revealed himself to you?"

She nodded, wiping tears from her eyes.

"I wasn't expecting this... I can understand why Itachi might be intimidated. Sakura, I really do actually think that... He's just trying to protect you. Madara's path is... Questionable to us. He's our true leader, of which I'm sure he's informed you of, and he's called for missions that seem... Odd. He's incredibly strong, and could kill any of us in a heartbeat," he continued on about the Uchiha, giving Sakura reason for suspicion. "It... I think he's trying to... Take you from Itachi. In a way that would kill him inside if he DID have any connection with you. He must have witnessed a change in Itachi's mood with you."

What he was saying was slightly frantic, and Sakura had to piece bits of it together. Was Madara the reason why Itachi refused to admit how he felt when it came to her? She wasn't sure. But what she did know was that right now she was liking Madara more than Itachi. No, not romantically, but... He seemed more of a friend than Itachi.

"I don't know, Dei, I just... I think that it's something that time will tell..."

"I just don't want you to get hurt, Sakura."

"Thanks," she planted a short kiss on his forehead before leaving.

* * *

><p>That night, Itachi was gone on a short mission with Kisame. Sakura had the room to herself. She decided that to calm her nerves, she would take a night to pamper herself.<p>

She showered, shaved, cleaned her face with a special face wash, painted her nails a light green, massaged lotion onto her arms and legs, and took the time to blow-dry and straighten her infamous pink hair. She looked gorgeous afterwards, even more beautiful than before. Her skin glowed as if it was the moon with the sun shining behind it. The hair upon her head resembled silk. But the best thing about her looks were the seafoam pools that were her eyes...

They sparkled.

They hadn't sparkled since she was in Konoha.

It was proof that the couple hours it took to rejuvinate herself were much-needed.

The clock tolled 1:30am. The Cherry Blossom decided to go to sleep. It was nice not having to deal with the pressure of having Itachi in the room with her. She rested her head on the black pillow, and found herself in a state of overwhelming comfort.

It didn't take her long to fall into slumber. Around 3am, the bedroom door opened. Sakura didn't bother acknowledging it, considering she figured it was merely Itachi back from his mission.

The figure who opened the door shut it behind them and crawled into the bed, and on top of her. Her eyes cracked open, trying to see who was above her. Her vision was still blurry. "I-Itachi? What are you doing?" She tried rubbing her eyes.

"Heh. I'm not Itachi..." the person was obviously male, with a deep velvet voice. He leaned down and nibbled on her earlobe.

"Wh- what? Wh- who-" she wasn't thinking clearly yet. The man was going down, kissing and nibbling down her jaw and neck. She wasn't even concerned with what he was doing yet, just who he was.

"Did you miss me...?" he mumbled inbetween kisses.

Suddenly, she realized who the man was. "M- Mada...ra? Wh- why are you...?" She didn't know why he was doing this. Her eyes were adjusting to the dark. She could now see his form.

He moved to eye-level with her. "I'm going to give you what Itachi won't..." He grinned, and kissed the kunoichi. She didn't push him away. She more... Accepted it. It was hard to resist when you had an attractive man on top of you attempting to get intimate with you and you're half asleep and dazed. She kissed back, letting his tounge slide inbetween her lips. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him in closer.

Madara's hand began to slide slowly up her shirt. 'This will hurt him... Oh so badly...' his thoughts were mischevious and spelled trouble. He broke the kiss, "You're gorgeous, Kunoichi, you know that? Why would he break such a beautiful flower? You deserve so much better..." he kissed her short, "I can give you what you need, ... Sakura." Her name rolled off his tounge in the most seductive way. "I can give it to you if you let me..."

She was now awake, and understood. Her thoughts clashed. She still had feelings for Itachi, and was thinking about what Deidara had told her. But then again, she could make Itachi jealous with Madara... AND get a little physical action that she'd been longing for for quite some time. It was wrong, she knew this, but it was so... Appealing.

That night, she succumbed to seduction.


	7. Emotions Leaked

The ceiling was blank today. So awfully blank. It gave Sakura no comfort. It hurt. Her emotions tangled as her head rested tensley on Madara's chest. It felt like she'd done something wrong. No, dirty. But technically, she hadn't. Morally? Maybe so.

A cigarette was held lazily between his index and middle finger. The afterglow of sex made him cocky. Yes, Madara could feel her tension, he just didn't care. He'd fulfilled his goal; and then some. A puff of tobacco smoke made its way into the cold air of the bedroom. It seemed to add to the uncomfortable chill.

'What if Itachi finds out? When will he be back anyways? I feel so... Unclean...' the thoughts of the kunoichi spewed out in her facial expressions. Of course, Madara could not see her face. The subtle, but there, sting of guilt lay restlessly in her heart. 'But... Why should I be upset? I didn't do anything wrong... You know, if Itachi finds out, I'll tell him. Without regret. He was a hardass so this is what he gets. But... How am I to know that it will harm him? Who am I to be so cocky? No, he wants you, Sakura. He's just too rigid to show it.' Her mind was playing the "back and forth" game with her. The game where one half of you tells you one thing, and then the other half contradicts it.

There was a knock on the door. Three rasps of a knuckled fist. Sakura suddenly became alert while Madara just layed there, as he had been before. She tried covering up. 'What if that's Itachi?' The door opened, without an invitation.

"Sa-"

The rage was appearant in the Uchiha's face. There at the door was Itachi Uchiha. He slammed the door behind him. Madara's expression was taunting. Sakura's was the open mouth, wide eyes, and paling face. She used the blanket to cover herself.

"What... The hell... are you doing... in my bed? With HER?" He was losing his calm persona. His hands became fists. The jealousy poured out.

"Heh... Jealous, Itachi?" Madara's lips slid into the perfect grin. So perfect that it caused Itachi to snap.

He pulled Madara violently out of the bed, and held him by his throat. Despite it all, he still managed to keep the grin. His boxers covered his... lower half.

Itachi started it. He punched Madara right in the face, causing his nose to start a thin line of blood. It was the kind of punch that held excess force because of the emotion boiling inside him. Madara rubbed the throbbing flesh of his cheek, the grin still remaining. Itachi did it again, except in the stomach. Blood came through the mouth this time. Sakura watched from the bed in fear, but a slight sense of flattery ran through her. Itachi was fighting... For her.

Now it was Madara's turn... He tried to give Itachi a fist to the face, but failed due to Itachi's hand catching the blow. He crushed his hand in his. Using his other hand, Madara tried hitting him in the stomach. Itachi skillfully dodged the blow, and kicked Madara in the stomach, causing him to fly back and hit the wall.

"Get out. Now," Itachi stated.

"Heh... I beat you to it, Itachi..." the smirk was now back upon its perch. He got up, and walked out, shutting the door behind him.

He tried ignoring the comment, and turned to Sakura, of whom was still in the bed. "Get up."

"I- I... No." She decided to risk it, and stick up for herself.

"What?"

"I said no."

It seemed as if he had cooled off now, but there was still a slight sense of animalistic behavior in his aura. He walked towards the bed. Sakura's breathing came to a hault. He grabbed her wrist, and pulled her up. Her eyes stayed wide, and her nude body was now exposed. It didn't seem to phase him. The sight would've given any lesser man a nose bleed. Itachi removed his cloak smoothly, and gently pulled her closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her.

"Wha-?" the cherry blossom was at a loss for words.

"I'm... Sorry, Sakura. I... Should've been more sensitive towards you. It's because of me that you lost your innocence to Madara, and don't try to tell me otherwise. It's true, I care about you... I want you to be mine... And only mine. That snake doesn't deserve you, but then again neither do I. But I can make you the happiest woman on this planet. I can make you feel beautiful," He held her against his chest, stroking the pink hair that he liked, no, loved, so much.

"I-Itachi..." her face softened, and she became putty in his hands. Noone had ever told her such sweet things that made her heart soar. It meant nothing to her anymore that her bare body was within his vision. She almost convinced herself that it was all a dream. How could the Uchiha have feelings for her? She sighed a sweet sigh of content, and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I can give you everything," his voice dropped to a whisper,"All you have to do is let me..." Itachi planted a short, sweet kiss upon her head.

She looked up at him, "I... I've never had anyone say such things to me... O- Of course I'll let you..." Her eyes began to fill with tears. This feeling was so alien.

"I'm glad," he caught her lips in his. The kiss was filled with a fiery passion that made the butterflies go bizzerk. She could feel him moving them towards the bed. The backs of her thighs hit the edge of the bed before she fell back onto it.

There, she had her first real experience in making love.


	8. I'll Protect You

The next day was totally different from all the previous ones; Itachi had been business as usual, but any chance he'd get he'd sweep Sakura into his arms and kiss her gently. She was still becoming accustomed to this, because being touched by him was so foreign. Thoughts of the previous nights whirled in her head, making it almost impossible for her to concentrate on anything. He was so... Out of character. The brute Uchiha was gentle with her, loving, and... talkative! It was like it was another fantasy.

That morning Itachi woke up in an excellent mood, finding the cherry blossom by his side. Her skin was soft and bare, and her face was still flushed from the night before. He studied her porcelain frame, how her chest rose and fell with her breathing, how her lips were slightly parted, and how her long, silk, pink hair fell over her shoulder. Everything about her was spectacular, and Itachi had claimed it as his. He kissed her oh-so-gently on the forehead before he proceeded to get dressed in his usual garb; a black-fitting t-shirt and gray-blue pants. He secured his hair back into the ritualistic low-hanging pony, softly shut the door behind him as to not wake Sakura, and made his way to the kitchen.

There at the table, drinking a cup of freshly-brewed coffee, was Madara. He had been awaiting Itachi's arrival. Itachi seemed to pay no mind to him, so he decided to taunt him, "You know, I heard you two last night. Just because you've slept with her doesn't mean she's yours. I got there first," he was sure to annunciate the "I." "You'll never be able to beat me, you know. I'll keep her running back for more, hurting you over and over and over again until you die of grief," Madara was so casual and nonchalant, but there was underlying anger in his voice.

Being the emotionless man that he was, Itachi ignored him without seeming to care. This, of course, only angered Madara more. Madara pushed his seat out from under the table abruptly, and got right in Itachi's straight face. Before he had the chance to speak, Itachi said the six words, "I will protect her from you." His expression didn't change. He knew what was going on, and wasn't about to let Madara ruin that, no matter what.

"I see, you want to play the game, huh? You know I'll win, because once she finds out who you really are, she'll run. You have too much baggage, Itachi," Madara vanished with those words. In all honesty, Itachi didn't know why Madara had set his eye on Sakura. All he knew was that if he got ahold of her, she'd end up dead. He wasn't a gentle man, but neither was he one to chase after a woman, no matter how beautiful or intriguing she may be. But then again, neither was Itachi. He'd never been in love, or even had any remote feelings like that for a woman. Even though he'd had sex with a few women in his past, it was never a matter of feelings. This time, something had overcome his barrier, and he wasn't sure what it was or how it happened. All he wanted with Sakura originally was sex, and that was all. But when he looked into those sea foam pools that were her eyes, he'd felt something. It made his heart feel like it was beating for the first time in years. This was obviously a dangerous feeling, especially when it came to being in the Akatsuki. He couldn't have anything get in the way of his control, especially on the battlefield. She would make him have a weak point, but he didn't care. He loved how she made him feel.

Sakura sleepily stumbled into the kitchen in her thin-silk robe. It was still pretty early for her to be up, so she looked tired. Itachi was sitting at the table reading a thick, red leather-bound book that seemed to have no title. She rummaged through the fridge and found a bowl of strawberries. Finding her way to a seat across from Itachi, she popped one into her mouth. It was the weekend, and the other boys in the house were still asleep, so it was just her and Itachi. He looked up at her and met her gaze. One of his favorite past times was catching her looking at him. She always seemed to have a look of astonishment and wonder when he saw her, but today it was a genuine smile. "Itachi, I," she paused, "I want to thank you for last night. You made me feel... Like a woman," her words were nervous, unsure of what he would say.

Slowly getting up from the table, Itachi got behind Sakura and bent over to wrap his arms around her from behind, and kissed her on her ear shell. "You're welcome," he whispered softly, gently pushing her hair behind her ear. This sent a shiver down her spine and gave her goose bumps up and down her arms and legs, and a flush to her face. His touch was intoxicating, and his romantic, musky scent filled her lungs. He could smell the strawberries on her breath, and turned her to kiss him passionately, slipping his skilled tongue in between her lips. She let out a soft moan before he broke the kiss and sat back down. She was his, and only his.

* * *

><p>"I think it's about time you got your first mission as an Akatsuki member, Haruno," Leader looked up at her from a paper he was scribbling on, "It would be to the Village Hidden in the Mist. There's a squad of Leaf Ninja there searching for Akatsuki who found our old base, and are now able to sniff us out if we don't catch them now. They should be easy enough to take on with your skills, but I'll send Itachi along with you. I'm intrigued to see you in action, considering the amount of training Itachi has given you, I can see that you've grown in your abilities rather than just medical and physical abilities," It was kind of ironic that he'd send Itachi of all people along with her, and then she remembered Madara was giving Leader orders, and wondered if he had anything to do with this. She got a bad feeling about Madara, and was unsure of his intentions. It was almost as if he didn't actually want her, but wanted to use her to hurt Itachi.<p>

"Okay... So what are the conditions of the mission?" Sakura was cautious, she hadn't been on a mission in months.

"You're to leave from Akatsuki base at 5pm this afternoon, and set off on an overnight trip to your destination, find the shinobi, kill them, and leave. I understand this may be hard for you, since you may know the ninja, but you have to follow orders, understand?" It was almost like he knew who the shinobi were, and was testing her to see if she could take out one of her old comrades.

"Yes sir," her reply was short. At least she had Itachi to go with her.

* * *

><p>Natural light filled Deidara's room as Sakura sat on the edge of the bed, listening to Deidara talk about how Sasori didn't respect him enough as a partner, and Kisame ate his chicken that he was saving. Kicking her legs back and forth, she gradually replied with subtle "mmhm's" and "yeah's." All she could think about was Madara and Itachi, and the nights she'd had with both of them. Her face quickly flushed as she thought of the ways they both touched her, and how they were both so different. Madara was more forceful and hot, while Itachi was loving and gentle. She loved the way they both made her feel, with the exception of Madara's careless way he treated her the morning after.<p>

"Sakura? Are you there?" Deidara waved his hand in front of her dazed face. Blinking her eyes twice, she woke from her daydream. This followed with a thorough apology. "Don't worry about it, yeah. I space out all the time," he continued on his rant, but before he could get into his storytelling again, Sakura stopped him.

"Deidara, have you ever slept with someone?" She was almost too blunt.

"Uhm... Just a few times, yeah. Why?" He looked absolutely puzzled by this random question. Has Sakura had sex with Itachi? Why is she asking me this? Yeah.

"How did you act after it was over?"

"Err... It's hard to think back that far. And even then I don't really feel comfortable talking about this, yeah. I mean, that's a personal subject for me, yeah," Deidara fidgeted with his fingernails and was blushing. He hadn't ever talked about that kind of thing with anyone.

"Oh, I guess that's alright. It really isn't any of my business, sorry!" She smiled at him before hugging him and leaving. He loved her touch, and every time she left he felt like part of him was leaving.

* * *

><p>With only a couple hours to waste, the kunoichi decided she should get in a shower before the mission. She stripped down quickly as the water warmed up. Before she stepped into the shower, she studied her bare body in the full-sized mirror. She had a thin waist, and wide hips, completed by a flat stomach and firm thighs. Her breasts were proportionate to her frame, and the pink of her nipples matched that of her lips. The thought of Itachi looking at her like this made her blush, because she realized that he had just the night before.<p>

The water was warm as it fell upon her body, sliding down, washing the dirt and sweat from her skin. She closed her eyes as she washed her hair; shampooing and conditioning was detrimental to keeping her pink locks shiny and smooth. Washing her body and shaving proceeded.

Turning the faucet off, Sakura stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her body. She combed her hair and massaged lotion onto her skin. She looked in the dresser for clothes, and as she did her towel dropped down, exposing her body. Thinking nothing of it, she didn't bother to retrieve the towel.

"Wow, you're even more beautiful naked, Cherry Blossom."

Sakura jumped at the surprise that someone was watching her, rushing to pick up the towel and cover herself. "Madara!" she scowled, "You were spying on me!"

Madara was sitting on the edge of the bed, gazing at her bare body. "Of course, who could resist? You're such a prize, any man would be stupid to not spy on you with the opportunity given." He slowly got up and approached her, pushing her against the edge of the dresser. All she had to cover her was the towel, which didn't conceal much. Madara licked his lips as he looked her over once more before leaning in to try and kiss her, but before he did, Sakura pushed him away forcefully, causing him to fall upon the bed.

"Get out, please," she was shaking. Sakura didn't want him around her, not after Itachi had asked her to not have him around. Not to mention how he looked at her like a piece of meat.

"Why so hesitant, beautiful? All I want is a little love before you leave for your mission..." a coy smile played on his lips as he got back up, and pressed her against a wall. She was squirming and trying to look away, to find an escape. Sakura felt extremely uncomfortable in this situation.

"I asked you to get out," Sakura tried pushing him off, but this time he wouldn't budge. He grabbed her wrists and brought the above her head, securing her so she couldn't resist any more. She began to panic, she'd never been in such a compromised position. She acted irrationally, and all of a sudden...

"ITACHI!" Sakura screamed at the top of her lungs for him.

"Shit," Madara quickly disappeared right before Itachi burst into the door.

"Sakura! Are you all right?" Itachi had almost a pained look on his face, he wanted to make sure she was okay. Never had she yelled for him in such a way, not one out of fear. He found her lying on the ground by the dresser, naked and tears in her eyes. "What happened? Tell me what happened!" he urged her, helping her up from the cold floor, and holding her against him.

"Madara, he..." she paused, "He almost raped me." She dug her face into Itachi's hard, muscular, safe chest. He held her tighter, a low growl escaping his lips. He was angry, that was certain.

"It's all right. I'm here now. I'll never let that happen to you ever again, I'll always protect you from now until I die."


	9. The Truth is Bittersweet

**WARNING: **This chapter DOES have a lemon, so yeah. Don't be surprised by sex at the end. Hurr hurr.

The sky was starting to turn a light sorbet color. Itachi looked up and noticed a crow fly up towards a tree into its nest. He sat by the window of their bedroom as Sakura was packing all of her weapons and medicines in her bag, making sure that she didn't leave anything behind. In the past, she was always bad about that, forgetting vital components that was needed on the travel.

Sakura stood up straight to find that Itachi had moved swiftly behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her against him. Leaning in, he kissed her on the ear shell, taking in her natural strawberry and lavender scent. "No matter what happens on this mission, I'll protect you," even his voice made him seem strong. Sakura took note of everything about the Uchiha, and everything about the Uchiha was perfect.

"I know you will, but I don't think you have to worry about me," she turned gracefully in his arms to face him, kissing him on his stubble-covered chin. It kind of hurt her lips, but she thought it made him look rugged and even more sexy than he already was.

"No matter how strong I know you are, I just can't help but see you as a beautiful, delicate woman in need of a man who can guard her with his life." It was so out of character for Itachi to say such things to her, but she just wasn't used to it. All she'd ever known him as was a cold-hearted killer who left his brother alive to torture him further, but that wasn't the case. He loved Sasuke, and now he was infatuated with Sakura. She longed to know what he was like before the Uchiha massacre, how much of a brother and son and friend he was to the people around him; surely he was not this closed-off man who struck fear in the hearts of everyone that stepped within 20 yards of him?

"I love it when you talk to me like that," the pink-haired kunoichi's face flushed as she whispered.

Itachi lifted Sakura's chin to make her look him in the eye. He had deactivated his Sharingan and had the most stunningly gorgeous eyes she'd ever seen. "Then I'll say things like that more often if they make you look that cute," a small, barely-noticeable smile flashed across his lips before he regained his composure, "I'd say it's probably time for us to get going." With that said, the two left the room while Sakura proceeded to bid everyone farewell before they left to Kirigakure.

* * *

><p>It was a long journey to The Land of Water from Otogakure, where the current Akatsuki base was planted, leaving Itachi and Sakura with plenty of alone time. <em>This is my moment to ask him...<em>

"Uhmmm... Itachi...?" Sakura addressed her comrade, looking down at the trail they were following.

"Yes, Cherry Blossom?" Itachi sounded endearing, which was still totally foreign to Sakura. She liked it, but sometimes it felt completely off.

She now understood Hinata's nervous tick of pushing her fingers together, "Can I ask you a personal question? I mean it's okay if you don't want to answer it, I understand. I've just been... so curious about it lately."

There was silence.

"About the extermination of the clan," it was a question disguised as a statement. He was so stoic, like when she first met him. The atmosphere was uncomfortable, but not because of the cold gust of wind that just hit them.

"You don't have to talk about it. I-I mean, i-it really isn't any of my business," she stuttered and almost tripped on a root before Itachi caught her in his arms.

He looked at her with eyes that could make any woman melt, as she did. He was so endearing and compassionate. "So you want to know why I did what I did to my family?" She hesitantly nodded as he set her down. Itachi led her to a large tree, using the chakra in his feet to climb up it to one of its highest branches, beckoning for Haruno to follow. They sat as he turned her to hold her against his chest so they could both stare at the sunset.

"I figured you'd ask eventually..." Itachi let out a sigh and waited to find the right words before he spoke again, "I murdered them because I was ordered by Konoha to do so." Even though he couldn't see her face, he could tell Sakura was shocked. "I was working under Danzo's specialized ANBU team, and fearing that it would cause another war, I had to report to him the fact that the Uchiha clan was planning a coup d'etat to take control of Konohagakure. I was working as a double agent, and they told me that the deletion of the Uchiha clan was imperative for the sake of the village, and they wanted me to take care of it. Enlisting the help of Madara I took care of it; but I wasn't able to kill Sasuke. I didn't have the heart, and so I left him alive and made it seem to him that his brother was pure evil so he would come and kill me one day to compensate for what I had done," he paused, staring blankly at the sky. He'd never told anyone this complete story. "With all that said, I left The Leaf to join Akatsuki in order to keep an eye on Madara and Sasuke. Before I left I threatened to share everything I knew about Konoha with their enemies to ensure that the village wouldn't harm Sasuke."

_So Madara lied about what happened... He wasn't why it happened, __**unless**__... Unless Madara was the reason why the Uchiha clan was going to overthrow Konoha! _Sakura thought through both Madara and Itachi's stories. She didn't want to offend Itachi, but the words just slipped out, "But that's not what Madara said!" Realizing that she may have said the wrong choice of words, she covered her mouth, ashamed.

"Madara lied to you. I know what he told you, and it wasn't true. He wants to hurt you... to hurt **me**."

"Wh-what do you mean?" she turned to look him in the eye, her face filled with worry.

"I think you should be able to piece it together from there," and that was all that he'd left her with.

* * *

><p>That night, the two stayed at a small, rinky-dinky motel. It wasn't because they couldn't afford anything better, it was because going anywhere else more extravagant would hold the risk of them being caught. Sakura scowled at the low-quality box-spring bed and the coarse, dingy sheets that had a curious white stain on it. Her nose wrinkled up as she walked into the bathroom to brush her teeth. It smelled of feces and marijuana. Resisting the urge to throw up her lunch, she brushed her teeth in a way shorter time span than the two minutes that it's supposed to take you and got out of there.<p>

"Itachi, I'm **not **sleeping here tonight! It's absolutely di-"

Before she knew it, Itachi had her on the bed, his Akatsuki cloak acting as a barrier between her and the grimy sheets. Keeping Sakura under him, he kissed her passionately while practically ripping her cloak off. The kunoichi practically melted underneath his touch, her heart pounding. Face flushed, temperatures high, and the need was imminent. They desperately wanted one another, tugging at everything they could get ahold of; clothes, hair, flesh. To be tangled in one another was all they wanted.

Once they were both completely stripped, Itachi took a good look at the beautiful woman underneath him. "Damn..." it slipped out subconsciously as his eyes ran over every detail of her porcelain body. Sakura pulled him in, rolling the couple over so she was on top, a gentle groan escaping Itachi's lips as her leg accidentally stroked his shaft. She trailed kisses up and down his hard, muscular body before teasing the head of his member with her tongue. Itachi gripped the edges of the bed letting out a moan. This grip only intensified as she took him completely in her mouth, continuing to blow him. Of course he couldn't let this go on much longer, for being taken over was not customary of him. Being in control was his favorite thing.

Pinning Sakura to the wall, Itachi began delivering rough, hungry kisses along her neck, breasts, stomach, all the way to her inner thigh. As he reached her flower, he slid his fingers in between her folds, rubbing her clit while looking up at her to see her facial expression; she was flushed and extremely shy, which only made Itachi hornier. Slipping two fingers into her passage, Sakura let out a loud moan. _Mmmh... She's a moaner, _Itachi thought smugly to himself. Fingering Sakura to the point of orgasm was tantalizing, causing Itachi to get harder and harder.

He couldn't wait anymore. He had to have her, be inside her. Itachi grabbed Sakura by the hips and pulled her down to the floor with him. Stationing himself above her, he entered her tight womanhood, pumping in and out, increasing his pace with the pleasure. Sakura kept moaning and arching her back, running her hands all over his back and arms. When she'd open her eyes, she'd see the panting Uchiha above her in an intimate scene. Everything was hot and raunchy, but at the same time sweet and endearing. "Come with me," she whispered in his ear before her walls spasmed and hips bucked as he moaned and felt him orgasm inside her.

Itachi collapsed next to Sakura, their bodies still entangled. Even though they were on the hard floor, it felt like they were on cloud nine, mesmerized by one another's presence. Falling asleep together was the greatest bliss either of them was ever gifted.

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>So this is the first REAL lemon of the story! Sorry if it kind of sucks, I haven't written a lemon in so long. I tried getting Itachi back in character this chapter, at least a LITTLE. I think I did all right. Review review review! Tell me what you think and what you'd like to see in the future. :]


	10. Confrontation

"Itachi, are you ready to set out?" Sakura was very ready to leave the grimy inn, waking up at the crack of dawn despite her rendezvous with Itachi the night before. On a typical day, she would remain curled up in the crook of his underarm until he arose from his slumber as well. She'd slept on his cloak to create a barrier between her and the sheets.

It was not wise to let Sakura remain in the motel room much longer, Itachi knew that she would soon become irritable. He followed her out the door, continuing on to Kirigakure. Little was known of the exact origins of their mission, but what they did know, Sakura was not fond of. According to Leader, of whom she later found out his name was Pein, there was a breach of one of the many Akatsuki bases located in The Mist by unidentified Leaf shinobi. He mentioned that she might know them... Sakura tried to keep her mind off of it.

Hours passed before Itachi and Sakura reached their destination. The headquarters was much smaller than the one that was currently inhabited and showed signs of wear from the humidity in the air and lack of inhabitants. There were no signs of Leaf ninja anywhere, although the front door was left slightly cracked open.

"What if it's Naruto? Am I expected to kill him?" Sakura broke into a cold sweat and felt faint. She couldn't kill him, she wouldn't even be able to render him unconscious. Not because she was limited physically, but because he would never hurt her. In fact, he was probably looking for her right now, trying to save her from the Akatsuki. "I don't know if I can do this."

He knew what this was a very high possibility, but he had a plan. "You shall be fine," Itachi muttered.

"You don't know that. What if it's Kakashi and Sai? Naruto, Kiba, Hinata, Shino, Lee? I couldn't hurt any of them. I just can't."

The next thing she knew, Itachi had his arms around her and was pushing her onto the ground. It wasn't an embrace, nothing loving or friendly. As a matter of fact, he was protecting her. Shuriken and kunai stuck into Itachi's back, him releasing a muffled grunt of pain. He couldn't move the both of them in time, all he could do was shield Sakura. It soon became obvious that the attackers were not aiming for the kunoichi, but rather the Uchiha.

"NARUTO, STOP!" Sakura screamed, the blonde rushed to her, disregarding the missing nin who was holding her. Quickly, she removed the two kunai and shuriken star that was lodged in Itachi's back. He seemed fine, standing up in front of Sakura as a barrier between Naruto and her.

Naruto looked highly pissed, glaring at Itachi, prepared to do some major damage. Sakura didn't know what to do, it was between lying there helpless or getting up and slitting Naruto's throat. It became apparent that taking Naruto out would not be that simple; he was accompanied by Hinata, Lee, Ino, Kiba, and Shikamaru. "Sakura! We're here to save you!" Ino shouted from the distance. The clearing in front of the Akatsuki base was relatively small. An escape was currently out of the question.

There was no doubt in her mind that her lover would be able to win this battle, but then she remembered that the conditions of the mission were to kill them. A Rasengan ball was being formed in Naruto's palm, his attack on Itachi becoming imminent. Sakura quickly rushed between the two, "Naruto, you can't! You can't hurt him! Just... STOP!" Her voice became high pitched and desperate. To be honest, she wasn't afraid for Itachi, but for Naruto.

"We're here to bring you home, Sakura. Don't worry, we have this under control! You no longer have to pretend to comply with Akatsuki orders, you're coming home tonight!" he was so confident.

Shaking her head, she confessed, "I'm staying voluntarily."

Now this was something she hadn't thought about. She didn't want to leave Akatsuki. She was so happy; Itachi, Deidara, and even the other obnoxious men made her happy. Not only was she happy, but she was more confident and strong. Physically and mentally.

Everyone gasped at this confession. Even Itachi seemed surprised. Naruto looked so... hurt. "Sakura... No, please, don't do this to us. I don't know if I can handle you leaving too. You have to come home, Konoha needs you. Tsunade needs you, Kakashi needs you, Sai needs you, I need you," his voice gradually became louder and louder with pain and frustration.

"Naruto, I can't. You have to leave here, you can't come searching for me. I'm not coming back with you," she looked away, avoiding everyone's eyes, "I'm sorry, but either you leave now or I have to kill you." The Konoha ninja shook their heads in disbelief, Naruto turning his back to Sakura and Itachi.

"I think it's time we take our leave," Itachi said softly to Sakura, placing his hand on her shoulder. They were gone in an instant.

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><p>He became concerned for her, he knew it must have been extremely stressful to worry about your former comrades dying at the hands of a man that you have feelings for. But this was expected, as he was sure that it was Madara's idea to send them on this mission together.<p>

Itachi watched the pink-haired kunoichi gather herself, her face was pale. Sakura was obviously still in shock from the encounter. Bewildered at what to do or say in this moment, he tried to busy himself, but seeing her so upset made him... upset as well. His expression softened as he looked at her; she was ashamed for being so outward with her emotions, and she tried to look away from him.

"Sakura, come here," Itachi slightly held out his arms, beckoning her to enter his embrace. His cheeks showed the smallest signs of blush as Sakura quickly filled the space between them.

She sobbed into his chest, "Ita... Am I ever going to get to see them again?"

He didn't know what to say. He figured a hug would satisfy her. Itachi wasn't the best at these emotional matters. Never did he make a promise that he couldn't keep, but when it came to this one, he wasn't entirely sure, "Yes, you will."

"I will?" she sniffed.

"Of course."

It wasn't time for her to know yet, not about his true intentions. The only way she could see them again under safe circumstances was if he succeeded. She couldn't know until he had a full plan, something that he'd been plotting for years.

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><p><strong>AN:**

*****IF YOU LEAVE A REVIEW WITH AN IDEA/REQUEST FOR THE STORY I SHALL DO MY BEST TO WORK IT IN*****

**It's been like a year since I updated AFITC...**

**I'm back on Fanfiction for a while, my Naruto interest has peaked again. I got relatively caught up with the manga. I've matured a lot since I wrote last, and scanning back over my previous chapters I feel like what I've written is completely awful. Itachi's too bipolar, Sakura is so OOC, the action scenes aren't long enough and neither are the chapters in general (I'm lazy, haters gonna hate). But my ItaSaku love has rekindled, and I've decided that this fanfic needs to be finished before I start any other Narutard projects! Of course the fanfic will still be as long as originally intended (about 20 chaps, not too sure yet).**

**This chapter is relatively short, but I ran out of ideas for this particular moment. I'm not very good at writing action scenes. Sakura is pretty pathetic in this chapter, and Itachi's OOC. But eh, it's really hard to write an ItaSaku fanfic without Itachi being OOC. I try to maintain it though!**

**I'd like to thank you guys who have left comments and read. It motivates me to write faster when there's more interest.**

**Sakura has to face her Konoha friends in this chap. How sad. Luckily Itachi gets her out of the situation and comforts her! I wonder what he has up his sleeve? That sly dog. **

**No lemons this chap!**

**Please review!**


	11. Happy Birthday!

**A/N: This chapter does contain a heavy lemon. Happy Birthday, Itachi Uchiha! June 9th, 2012**

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><p>Akatsuki headquarters was practically dead, every single member was out on a mission at the time Itachi and Sakura arrived. It was June 9th, the sun was just beginning to arrive. The leaves were green with life, the earth was moist from the humidity in the air. Sakura had to remove her cloak due to the inclimate weather, as did her partner. The sweat beaded around her hairline and her skin was damp. Itachi showed no signs of discomfort despite the torturous heat.<p>

The couple entered through the oversized double doors that created the main entrance for the establishment; they could only be opened by chakra signatures, and would remain locked down if there was an unfamiliar chakra trying to enter. Sakura's chakra was still fairly new, so only Itachi could get her inside. There was no air conditioning inside the hideout, but the fans and stony, windowless walls kept the air cool and moist. It was instant relief.

Not only did it feel better inside, but the atmosphere was peaceful. It was only Itachi and Sakura, no loud-mouthed Hidan or meddling Kisame to bother them. A kunoichi needs a break every once in a while.

Opening the door to his (their?) room, the Uchiha allowed Sakura to walk in first. Itachi was a well-mannered man. He liked being able to watch her walk, the way her hips moved and her hair swayed behind. She was no longer an object of lust to him, he realized that he did have some sort of emotional attachment to the girl. Of course, he hated it. It was a weakness. Any aspect of weakness, especially one so obvious such as a lover, would be detrimental to his success. Itachi hated the fault, but in all honesty, he wholly and truly did not want her to leave. When she'd told Kyuubi that she was planning to stay with Akatsuki, had she really meant it? Surely she did if she told that to him, even though it would hurt. Itachi decided he would ask her about this later, but now was not the time; he wanted her. And today was his day to have her.

Sakura turned around after hanging her Akatsuki cloak in the wardrobe and placed her shoes on the tatami mat at the corner of the walk-in closet. She was wearing a short-sleeved fishnet top with deep purple capri pants that bunched at mid-calf, held up with a belt. Pulling out the hair band, her long, pink locks spilled down her shoulders and back. Surprisingly enough, Sakura recognized that Itachi's gaze was on her. A playful grin crossed her face when she began to remove her belt, slow and meticulous.

Her actions caused a raised eyebrow from him, which only propelled her forward even more. Stepping lightly towards him, she removed her pants, revealing aqua and white polka dot panties that hugged her hips and accentuated her long, milky legs. Itachi's eyes went from Sharingan red to onyx gray; he did not want to know what she was planning to do next. The thrill of not knowing her actions made it all the better.

The smallest smile played on Itachi's lips as he watched his blossom strip down. He was hungry for her; after all, it was his special day. At this point, Sakura was down to her panties, covering up her bosom with her hands. Stepping towards Itachi, pressing her body against his, she let her hands drop and curl around his shoulders. Her lips pressed against the strong neck, kissing that eventually led on to flicks of the tongue and small love bites.

Using the arm around his shoulders for balance, Sakura slid her had down to Itachi's waist band, slipping her fingers underneath the mesh of his shirt to caress the skin of his chest. The muscles of his abdomen rippled at the touch of her fingers. Letting out a low groan, Itachi pushed Sakura onto the bed, playing with the elastic of her panties.

"Let me make love to you, Itachi-_kun_," Sakura managed to breathe the words. The situation was so hot and heavy, she writhed underneath him, subconsciously grinding against him. Every touch was memorized and savored, and she began to feel dizzy with lust. "I won't bite... Unless you want me to..." chuckling at her joke, she nipped his jaw.

"Fuck, Sakura, let me have you," Itachi lost control for a moment, letting his lust get the best of him. He bent down and left an angry red hickey at the nape of her neck, then another at her jawline. He thrust his hips into hers, causing a wave of pleasure to resonate between them. Gradually, he kissed down her body; her lips, her jaw, her neck, the valley between her breast, her abdomen, her pubic bone. Then he stopped and looked up at her before sliding the silken panties down her legs before tossing them across the room. Sakura was now naked, while he was still fully clothed. It only turned him on even more.

Dipping his head between her legs, Itachi began to taste her. Sakura's back arched in pleasure, cocking her head back while placing her hands on Itachi's head. "Oh, _Ita-kun,_" she moaned his name, quite loudly. He fastened the flicks of his tongue, Sakura's body twisting in ecstasy.

After a few moments, Itachi slid back up her porcelain body that was damp with sweat. His lips crashed against hers in a fervent, passionate kiss. Their tongues danced while Sakura removed Itachi's belt and unzipped his pants. She settled herself over him at the perfect angle, letting him enter her tight womanhood. The sensations caused him to muster out a moan. Sakura pulled him upwards by his collar while riding him so he was sitting upright and kissed him with lustful intentions, moaning into his mouth and whispering his name. Itachi's hands grazed her back and butt, making their way up to her hair. "_Itachi,_" she could only get out his name as he pulled back her hair and he bit her lower lip.

"I'm going to-," Sakura rolled her hips against Itachi's one last time before climaxing. He'd came with her, closing his eyes and cocking back his head. Their breathing was causing the mirror in the bathroom to fog. Heat radiated from every pore. They shared one last kiss, Sakura placing one hand on his cheek whilst the other became tangled in his black waterfall of hair. Itachi's hands remained around her bare waist, holding her body close to his.

"Happy Birthday, Itachi-_kun_."


End file.
